Community Event

March 19, 2019

5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Furman University Bookstore, Trone Student Center

Details

Jerry Blassingame, author, company founder and criminal justice reform advocate, will speak about his book “Reclaimed: A Story of Second Chances” Tuesday, March 19, at 5:30 p.m. in the Furman University Bookstore located in the Trone Student Center on the Furman campus.
His talk is free and open to the public and is sponsored by the Collaborative for Community-Engaged Learning at Furman. The author will be available to sign books following his presentation.
Blassingame was a self-described child of poverty who witnessed the fall of friends and family before getting ensnared in a life of crime. Now he is executive director of a community development corporation that houses, feeds and trains men coming out of prison with skills to join the workforce. His book, “Reclaimed,” describes what that transition looks like.
On his website, Blassingame says “Reclaimed” is a story for all people—no matter your race or social status.” A woodworker and teacher, Blassingame explains the title of his book—“When something that was once considered not worth saving suddenly finds worth again, we call it Reclaimed.”
Blassingame is founder of Soteria Community Development Corporation and Senior Pastor of Soteria Christian Fellowship. He aims to empower individuals and the community through education, affordable housing, financial literacy, community, and economic development and entrepreneurship. His passion is assisting individuals who have been incarcerated through reentry and helping them to become productive citizens.
For more information visit http://jerryblassingame.com/. Or contact Mike Winiski, executive director, Community-Engaged Learning, at 864-294-2451, and mike.winiski@furman.edu. Or contact the Furman News and Information office at 864-294-3107.
Release is online:
https://tinyurl.com/yyy276zu